Part 6 (1/2)
We mustered quite a strong party at the dinner-table, what with the regular party, the four visiting captains (who were also pressed to stay), and our two selves, and a very merry one withal. _We_ contributed to the dessert from our stock on the main-boom; and they only who have enjoyed it can say what a luxury is fresh fruit on the line, especially when one has been a long time on board a s.h.i.+p.
The skipper produced unlimited champagne (of which, for a wonder, he still had a very fair stock) in honour of the occasion, and ”a prosperous voyage, and success to the _Water Lily_” was drunk over and over again that evening. We kept it up until nearly midnight, the p.o.o.p being converted into a ball-room by merely hanging a few lamps in the mizzen-rigging; the orchestra consisting of one of the seamen, who played the concertina better than I ever heard it played before or since.
The weather being as I have described it, without any signs of a change, such a departure from the ordinary routine of the s.h.i.+p was permissible, and I have no doubt everybody on board was glad enough of an occurrence which gave such an excuse for breaking in upon the monotony of the voyage.
Tedious enough they must have found it, for it appeared that they had already been becalmed five days, and had not altered their position as many miles; and there seemed every prospect of their being becalmed five days more, for the gla.s.s was as steady as if the mercury had been solid.
At last we visitors made signs of moving. The captains of the other vessels ordered their crews into their boats, and I was just about going over the side on my way to our small cabin to write a hasty line to Ada (our kind host having promised to post my letter for me immediately on his arrival), when a seaman stepped up to me, and with the usual nautical sc.r.a.pe of the foot and a respectful ”Beg pardon, sir,”
intimated a desire to speak to me.
”There's a strange yarn going the rounds of this here craft's fo'c'sle,”
said he, ”about your bein' on a sort of v'yage of discovery a'ter your father, sir.”
I said, ”Certainly; it was perfectly true.”
”Well, sir,” said he, ”maybe I might be able to help you in your search.
It needs no prophet to tell that you are Captain Collingwood's son, when a man gets a fair squint at your figure-head, axing your pardon, sir, for my boldness; and if you'll just give me your word that nothing I may say shall tell agin me, I'll tell you all I knows about it, and gladly too; for I sailed with your father, sir, and a kinder skipper or a better seaman never trod a deck than he was, as I've had good reason to know.”
”_Was_?” exclaimed I, with a sudden sinking of heart.
”And is still, for aught I know, sir; at least I hope so; there's no reason why he mayn't be still alive,” replied the man, fully understanding all the meaning of my exclamation.
”Thank G.o.d for that,” replied I fervently. ”But why is this strange pledge required? Surely, fellow, you will not have the temerity to tell _me_--his son--that he has been the victim of any foul play? If so--”
”Not on my part, sir, I'll take my Bible oath,” said he, ”What I did I was _forced_ to do to save my own life. Gladly would I have helped the skipper if I could; but what can one man do agin a whole s.h.i.+p's crew.”
”_Much_, if he have the will,” replied I. ”I will give no pledge whatever, beyond this. Tell me your story, and if I find you were powerless to prevent the evil which I begin to suspect has befallen my poor father, you have nothing to fear; but if I find that you have in any way aided--”
”Never, sir. If I could have had my will the skipper would not be where, I suppose, he is now; but you shall hear all I have to say, and then judge for yourself whether I could prevent anything that happened or no.”
CHAPTER SIX.
THE FATE OF THE ”AMAZON.”
The man who, in this unexpected manner, brought me intelligence of my father, belonged to the crew of one of the visiting captains' boats, and a word or two of explanation was sufficient to procure the delay in the boat's departure necessary to permit the fellow to tell his story.
In order to be a little more alone, Bob (who was, in a few words, made acquainted with the facts of the case), the seaman, and I went down over the side to the _Water Lily's_ deck, when, as soon as we had comfortably bestowed ourselves, the man thus began:
”You must know, gentlemen, to commence with, that I was s.h.i.+pped, among others, on board the _Amazon_ at Canton. Dysentery was awful bad among the crews just at that time, and no less than seven was ash.o.r.e from our old barkie bad, when she left. Two chaps run as soon as she got in, and couldn't be found agin; so there was nine berths in the fo'c'sle to be filled when she was ready to sail. As I was savin', I was one of the new hands s.h.i.+pped. Englishmen was scarce somehow just then, and the skipper had to take what he could get. Consequence was, he s.h.i.+pped three Portuguese, a Spaniard, a Greek, two Frenchmen, and a Yankee, besides myself. The third mate was ash.o.r.e bad, and the second mate had died, so the Yankee (who seemed a smartish sort of chap) was made second mate, and one of the old fo'c'sle men was put into the third mate's berth. When we got aboard, we found the hatches on, and all ready for a start, and that same a'ternoon we unmoored, and away we went.
”We was the first s.h.i.+p as went away with any of the new teas, and the skipper was awful anxious for a quick run home. We carried on night and day; but the weather was light with us, and we didn't get along half as such a smart s.h.i.+p ought to ha' done, for she was a reg'lar flyer, as perhaps you gentlemen both knows.
”Well, we hadn't been out above a week when, whether 'twas worryin' at the light winds, or what 'twas I can't say, but the poor skipper was laid on his beam-ends with fever, and it took the chief-mate all his time to prevent his jumping overboard. However, it didn't seem to matter so much, so far as the s.h.i.+p was consarned, for the Yankee second mate turned out to be a first-rate navigator, and he in a way took charge of the craft.
”Well, gentlemen, how it all came about, I can't say, for I never noticed anything wrong. True, some of the chaps talked a bit queer to me at times; but I thought 'twas all a bit of a flam; but, howsomever, one fine night my Yankee gentleman and the new hands takes the s.h.i.+p. At eight bells in the first watch, the watch below was called; and as soon as they came on deck three on 'em goes straight over and jines the mutineers without a word; so it was clear as 'twas all planned afore among 'em. That left only three whites out of the plot--the Lascars had all been bribed or frightened into jining in with t'others--and, out of us three, two was lying on deck, lashed hands and heels together when I come up through the fore-scuttle.
”The minute my foot touched the deck, I was tripped up and secured before I was fairly awake, and stowed alongside of the two other chaps.
Then my n.o.ble Yankee, he steps up and stands in front of us three, and he says, says he, 'Now, you chaps, you see how it is; we've got the s.h.i.+p and we means to keep her; and we've made up our minds to do a little bit of pirating; make our fortunes; and then cut the sea and live like gentlemen for the rest of our days ash.o.r.e. If you've a mind to jine us, well and good; if not, there's a plank sticking over the bows, and I'll be obliged to trouble you to take a short walk on it for the benefit of your const.i.tooshuns. You've got five minutes allowed to make up your minds.'